Transferring all my stuff to a new tank, NEED HELP!!!

[b0bby1]

hey guys, i am upgrading from a 20 gallon AGA tank to a 30 gallon Finnex M tank sometime this week. i need some advice though on how to transfer everything over. i was thinking of taking like 10 gallons of water from my old tank and putting it in the new one, then putting another new 20 gallons of water in the 30. i also don't know if i should transfer my sand or if i should just buy a whole bag of sand. any suggestions?

 

[killingseed2000]

i would take the sand as well has much as the water you can. taking less may hurt you.

 

[b0bby1]

should i have much of a cycle then?

 

[Hypertek99]

I would transfer the sand and as much water as possible.

 

[b0bby1]

can i take like 5 gallons of water out of my 20 gallon right now and keep it in a bucket for a week then put it in my new tank. and repeat that every week for a month so i have no cycle.

 

[Pitcom]

Your going to get at least a small cycle. If there is any new silicone in the new tank then you will have a small cycle. I'm getting ready to transfer my 12 gallon into a 30 gallon soon, so i'll be going throught he same thing.

 

[143gadgets]

Your going to get at least a small cycle. If there is any new silicone in the new tank then you will have a small cycle. I'm getting ready to transfer my 12 gallon into a 30 gallon soon, so i'll be going throught he same thing.

I'm pretty sure the Finnex tanks are acrylic. How would silicone cause a cycle? I would think stirring up the sand bed would be the main cause of a cycle, but he should have much of a cycle though. i done this many times before when I used to keep sand beds. Only problem I see occurring its a little bit of algae since it's a "new tank".

BTW, I would move the sand bed and use all of the water from the old tank.

 

[Pitcom]

Finnex has glass tanks too from what i've seen. Diatom will occur from new sources of silica. I consider the startup algae nuisance as part of a new tank cycle.

 

[killingseed2000]

if you need more water plus old water. do a couple water changes and save that water. then use all of the saved water, all of the tank water, all of the old sand. you shouldnt have a problem.

 

[Pazazz]

Why dont you set up the tank let it cycle then transfer stuff over....

 

[b0bby1]

ya thats true, but then i need a whole new sand bed. although moving the sand is a huge hassle. if i got new sand and save some water from my recent water changes i'm guessing my cycle wouldn't be too bad. then i can sell of the old sandbed to someone in the area.

 

[Pazazz]

You can use some of your sand bed to reseed the new tank... I would move like 1/4 of the sand bed and do a water change and use the old water in the new tank...

 

[MarvinsReef]

I've moved a few times through the years and have always used the old sand and some of the water... I've always experienced a small cycle but the worst I've had was just a small algae boom that was taken care of by the hermits, snails, and the rest of the clean up crew...

good luck with the move..